This invention relates to a system for mounting one or more doors to a storage unit such as a cabinet or shelf assembly.
A metal storage unit, such as a conventional cabinet or shelf assembly, typically includes a rectangular frame structure having a pair of front corner posts and a pair of rear corner posts. Each corner post is typically formed with a surface having vertical rows of equally spaced, attachment openings for attaching shelves at various elevations. The posts are also adapted to support shelving accessories, such as drawers or flipper doors. A drawer or flipper door is typically secured by a slide mechanism or other support structure interconnected with the corner posts of the cabinet using the attachment openings. An example of a mounting arrangement of this type is disclosed in co-pending application Ser. No. 09/434,969 filed Nov. 5, 1999, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
It is also desirable to mount one or more doors to a cabinet assembly of this type. Examples of door mounting systems are disclosed in Maro U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,464,281 and 5,570,940. The door mounting system disclosed in these patents involves mounting of top and bottom support members, each of which spans between and engages the uprights or posts of the cabinet assembly. The top and bottom support members define hinge openings, each of which is adapted to receive a bushing. A specially constructed hinge pin assembly is mounted to the top of the door and to the bottom of the door. The hinge pin assembly includes an outwardly biased hinge pin, which can be manually retracted to locate the door between the upper and lower support members. Engagement of the hinge pins is then released, and the hinge pins then extend outwardly into the bushings so as to pivotably mount the door to the cabinet assembly.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a door mounting system which utilizes a conventional hinge assembly for providing movement of the door relative to the cabinet assembly. It is a further object of the invention to provide a door mounting system in which the door can be mounted to the cabinet assembly without the use of tools. Another object of the invention is to provide a door mounting system which is simple in its components and the manner in which the door mounting components are mounted to the cabinet assembly and engaged with the door. Yet another object of the invention is to provide a door mounting system which provides consistent positioning of the door relative to the cabinet assembly. A still further object of the invention is to provide a door mounting system in which the door is mounted to the cabinet assembly independent of the latching structure which interacts with the door latch for maintaining the door in its closed position.
The invention contemplates a door mounting system for a cabinet assembly or storage unit having an open area providing access to an interior defined by the storage unit. The storage unit includes at least one structural member adjacent the open area, and the structural member includes a series of spaced openings. The invention contemplates a door and a hinge assembly having pivotable first and second sections. The first section of the hinge is adapted for mounting to the door, and the second section of the hinge is secured to a mounting member. The mounting member is engageable with the structural member of the storage unit, and interacts with at least a pair of the spaced openings in the structural member for fixing the position of the second section of the hinge relative to the structural member of the storage unit. The openings in the structural member are formed in an inner wall defined by the structural member and face toward the interior of the storage unit. The mounting member includes an inner portion having engagement structure which interacts with the pair of spaced openings, and an outer portion to which the second section of the hinge is mounted. The engagement structure is preferably in the form of a pair of engagement members, each of which is adapted to be engaged within one of the openings in the structural member.
A releasable locking member is interconnected with the mounting member, and is releasably engageable with the structural member for releasably maintaining the pair of engagement members within the pair of openings in the structural member. In a preferred form, the releasable locking member is movable between a locking position in which the locking member is engaged within one of the openings in the structural member, and a release position in which the locking member is removed from the opening in the structural member. In its locking position, the locking member engages an edge of the opening and prevents movement of the mounting member relative to the structural member, so as to maintain the second section of the hinge in position on the structural member. In its release position, the locking member is moved out of engagement with the edge of the opening and allows movement of the mounting member relative to the structural member, so as to enable the pair of engagement members to be disengaged from the pair of openings. The locking member is preferably biased toward its locking position, and is engaged within one of the openings when the pair of engagement members are seated within the pair of spaced openings. In a preferred form, the locking member is mounted to a spring member which provides snap-in engagement of the locking member with the opening when the engagement members are seated within the pair of openings.
The first and second sections of the hinge are preferably releasably engageable with each other. With this construction, the mounting member is first engaged with the structural member, so as to mount the second section of the hinge in position on the storage unit. Once the second section of the hinge is mounted in this manner, the door is mounted in position relative to the storage unit by engaging the first section of the hinge with the second section.
The door preferably includes a latch or lock arrangement at a location spaced from the hinge. A retainer or latch member is engageable with the storage unit separately from the mounting member, and the latch or lock arrangement is engageable with the retainer member for selectively maintaining the door in a closed position relative to the storage unit. The storage unit preferably includes upper and lower transverse members which extend between a pair of structural members which extend vertically and are located one on either side of the open area of the storage unit. A retainer member is engageable with each of the upper and lower transverse members, so as to engage upper and lower latch members of the latch or lock arrangement. Each retainer member includes a mounting arrangement which takes advantage of the existing structure of the upper and lower transverse members of the storage unit, for providing quick and easy mounting of the retainer members to the upper and lower transverse members.
The invention further contemplates a method of mounting a door to a storage unit, substantially in accordance with the foregoing summary.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description taken together with the drawings.